| If you're old enough to remember the TV show called | | | | Horse training techniques are obviously good to know |
| Kung Fu, then you might remember some of the | | | | but knowing "why" they work is key. Horses will only |
| wisdom that came from the teachers. It's something | | | | do what works for them. If it doesn't work, very soon |
| we can use in our horse training. One episode in | | | | they quit doing it. Or if it's too much work with no relief, |
| particular shows Caine and Master Po talking. Master | | | | they'll quit it. Your horse will do the easiest thing he can. |
| Po says, "Close your eyes. What do you hear?" Then | | | | Thus, if you want a horse to do (or not do) something, |
| young Caine said, "I hear water. I also hear the birds." | | | | then make it hard for him to do it. |
| Then Master Po says, "Do you hear the grasshopper | | | | Next, make it obvious to your horse what you want |
| at your feet?" Then Caine says, "Master, how is it you | | | | him to do. Why? Because if it's easy to do, he'll do it. |
| hear such things?" Then Master Po says, "How is it | | | | This explains why you only ask for a try from a horse |
| that you do not?" | | | | and when he tries, you quit asking because that made |
| How does this tie into horse training? The lesson is | | | | it easy for him. Then you ask again because chances |
| about awareness. You see, Caine knew there were | | | | are he'll try again since it wasn't hard the last time. |
| things to hear but he didn't consider how much there | | | | Contrast that with asking to do something that was |
| was to hear. That's a lot like what happens to horse | | | | hard. If your horse won't do something, you may not |
| owners. We can get stuck in our learning and we | | | | be making it easy enough for him to get it. |
| discover we don't know what we don't know. | | | | |